Vegan Tiramisu Panna Cotta

This Vegan Tiramisu Panna Cotta is incredible! It has such a delicious texture, a rich and decadent Tia Maria flavour makes for an incredibly flavourful dessert for any occasion. Think about having these as a vegan Thanksgiving family gathering dessert or gluten-free holiday dessert option that anyone with or without restriction can enjoy.
Change is never an easy thing. Changing habits, life situations, romantic involvements, the seasons of our lives are constantly switching it up on us. This often goes against our innate longing for some sort of stability. Sometimes it can be welcomed but most of the time it can be disruptive. Either way, we mourn the idea that the future that we anticipated is not going to be what we envisioned. Going through this process of adapting our plans to the changing landscape is not an easy thing to do, especially if it took a long time to make these plans. Latching on to the past plans that we worked so hard to build might feel natural but sometimes clinging on to a past that you have outgrown can also sometimes leave you behind.
So, when is it time to change and when is it time to hang on? I have been asking myself this very question over and over again like a broken record. Is there a greener pasture waiting out there for me or was the pasture I was grazing in the greenest? Only time will tell. Until then, I mourn the loss till I’m ready to see a path forward to tread through.
Just like our lives, the seasons are constantly bringing in change. As much as we would like for the summer to never end, September brings in cooler weather so I have dedicated this recipe to the ever-changing seasons.
This Vegan Tiramisu Panna Cotta is the perfect dessert for a gluten-free and vegan Thanksgiving gathering of family and friends or even for a romantic dinner. They are a decadent way to celebrate anything. The coffee syrup has to be the hero here bringing the delicate, creamy Tia Maria flavoured panna cotta to the next level.

Vegan Panna Cotta Texture
When I made my first batch of Lemon Vegan Panna Cottas, I had made it in several batches to makes sure that I got the texture as close as possible to the authentic recipe. Some recipes that I found online were extremely hard and not appealing at all. I found that simply using agar was just not enough to create that texture that was needed. Agar would make the Panna Cottas hard almost like a wet cookie. Yuck! By adding cornstarch it gives it a creaminess to the consistency and made it much more appealing to eat.
Making the Panna Cotta
Making these is quite simple but does require some resting time so plan for at least 1 hr for the Panna cottas to set and an extra 30 minutes for preparation.
Start by making a slurry with the corn starch and a ¼ cup of the coconut milk and whisk till well combined. Then, add the rest of the panna cotta ingredients (including corn starch slurry) in a small saucepan except the agar and bring to a slow simmer. Once it starts to simmer, lower the heat slightly and add the agar stirring consistently. The mixture at this point should start to thicken quickly.

Once the mixture has thickened (see image above), quickly pour into your ramekins, and cover with a plastic wrap (mage below). This is so that the exposed portion doesn’t dry up and form a crust. Place in refrigeration for 1-2 hrs. The longer you leave it the firmer the panna cotta. Personally, I prefer it at 1 hr.

Next, you’ll need to make the coffee syrup. Add all the syrup ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a slow simmer stirring constantly until it thickens enough to make a syrup, about 10-15 minutes.
Removing the Panna cottas can sometimes be a little tricky. I used a knife along the rim and then placed it upside down onto the plate and banged the ramekin and plate together until it comes out. If it doesn’t come out on the first try, pass over the rim again with the knife and repeat the process.
Presentation
If presented properly, these little panna cottas can be stunning! Start by sifting some cocoa on top, then take a teaspoon of vegan whipped cream, and then drizzled the coffee syrup on top.
If you’ve made these, I would love to see your pictures, experiences (good and bad), challenges, ingredients switches (good and bad) so please either contact me here or post your comment at the bottom of the page.


Vegan Tiramisu Panna Cotta
Ingredients
Panna Cotta Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp Corn starch
- 1 can Full fat coconut milk (400 ml or 14 oz) Divided
- ¼ cup Sugar
- ¼ tsp Agar
- 1 tsp Instant Coffee powder
- 1 Tbsp Tia Maria Liqueur
- ⅓ cup Brown Sugar or Regular sugar
Coffee Syrup Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1 tsp Instant coffee
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla essence
Presentation
- 1 tbsp Cocoa powder for dusting
- Vegan whipped cream
Instructions
- In a small bowl, make a slurry with corn starch, mixing in ¼ cup of the coconut milk with a fork or a small whisk until it is uniform removing all the lumps.
- In a saucepan, mix coconut milk, vanilla, brown sugar, coffee powder, Tia Maria, vanilla and bring to a slow simmer over medium-low heat. Once it starts simmering, add in slurry and agar until mixture starts to thicken then quickly remove.
- Immediately pour into ramekins and fill till about ½ in. from the top. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour for a softer (like a flan) texture or 2 hrs for a slightly firmer texture.
- In a small saucepan, add all the ingredients for coffee syrup mix until well combined and bring to a slow simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer until sauce thickens and becomes syrupy in texture, about 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
- To remove from ramekins, take a small paring knife and run along the edges to loosen the panna cotta. Put a small dessert plate on top of the ramekin and turn them both over. Put a towel underneath the plate and firmly bang the plate and ramekin onto the table. Be patient it can sometimes take a little time. If it’s not budging at all you use your paring knife to gently wedge in a little air and let gravity do its work.
- For presentation, sift on the cocoa powder, then add a teaspoon of vegan whipped cream. Finally, pour coffee syrup on top and enjoy!
so delicious – i love panna cotta and this was fabulous – a great vegan option
Im so happy you enjoyed this!
Tiramisu flavor in a panna cotta sounds amazing! It’s such a beautiful and elegant dessert.
And it is so delicious too!
What is ager and where can i find it? I can’t wait to try this.
Hi Beth, thank you for writing this comment. Agar is a vegan alternative to gelatin. It is an extract from a seaweed which is tasteless and has no calories. It can be fou d in most health food stores and is also available on Amazon. I hope this answers your question.
Tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts and now I can make a vegan version?!? Yes, please. Such a creative recipe!
ITs also an easier version to get those tiramisu flavours! You’ll love it
Such a gorgeous dessert! Tiramisu is a favorite of mine and the flavors sound fantastic in this panna cotta. Love that it is vegan too.
Its a much easier version to get those tiramisu flavours too!